'66 Longbed 327 w/AC project

[clemdaddy]

really nice job on the big window conversion. i've got to get one of those spot welders... thats the ticket around the window flange, very clean.

keep after it, you're making great progress.

[cortcomp]

Thanks! It already paid for itself, and i have yet to do the roof skin. You have to have clean metal both sides, but i'm painting anyways. Quick to just go around with sandpaper wheel and remove the paint.

You don't get to fill in the holes in the panel where spot welds were removed with the circle cutter when using this, but they're always covered by gaskets or door weatherstripping or seamsealer in the roof. No chance of leakage, just you know, if someone ever took it a part, you could tell it wasn't factory. That's ok by me.

Got the bed unbolted today, going to see if i can get help tonight to move it off the frame so that i can work on the 3 small holes in the low back part of the cab. Once done welding those, i can work more on the inside. Didn't want to primer and paint the inside then fix those later and burn the interior paint side off!

[duallyjams]

Looks good , guess if I ever need a spot welder hmm

[cortcomp]

Primered/painted inside of roof skin because i was out of por-15, waiting for more insulation to arrive to stick to it and put it on.

Finished the back of the cab where the spotwelds were, and finished sanding all of the inside except the roof so i can primer and paint and start installing interior hopefully this weekend.

[cortcomp]

Finished sanding the interior so i can primer/paint tomorrow, and insulated the roof skin and threw it on and trimmed it around my repairs where needed. That roof feels solid when you knock on it now!

[cortcomp]

Used the DA and 320grit on all inside surfaces i was going to paint, and then wiped down with rubbing alcohol and then eastwood paint prep.

2 coats primer, let dry, sanded just the dash with 800 grit, then 2 coats paint. Came out ok, we'll see how it dries. Couple runs, and hard to paint the ceiling. Painted the floor shift collar and other steering parts. Feels like progress!

[cortcomp]

more pics

[cortcomp]

Did some black painting details in the cab today, installed all new switches in the glove box (A/C and heater switches) except the thermoswitch. Resistor pigtail was melted, need to find another one of those. Glad i dug in there! Installed the kick vents, sun visors, and dome light to make myself feel like i was moving along.

[cortcomp]

more pics of tonight's progress.

[**grumpy**]

Looks good Cort!
making great progress.

BTW, whats hiding under the covers next to it??

[62 Barnfind]

Looks good!

[Bomp]

Lookin really nice.

[cortcomp]

Thanks! Been working more in the interior on little things as i have time, hope to do insulation on floor and rest of the floor stuff and firewall pad, etc this weekend.

Grumpy, Blue one is the '66 catalina (389 2bbl, 85K miles on it, been thinking about swapping my spare 428 into it and throwing the 389 under a cover in the corner of the garage)

Green one is the 50 packard, 327 straight 8, automatic, has a messed up number 2 rod journal/knock, so needs rebuilt. Of course right after i detail it and rebuild the tranny and stuff it back together it gets a knock....just put new diamondback www on it to! This hobby can be frustrating at times!

[CRGRS 66]

I missed your build previously for some reason, awesome work, and awesome progress, I be watchin' now!

[cortcomp]

Got the rear window in Friday, will install it as a test to make sure all is well with the panel swap, will wait for help with that though.

Got the insulation on the floor down now, working on the firewall pad. had enough to do one cab corner, still have the other corner to do yet, and the backwall behind the tank. Then i can put the fuse box back on, finish putting the interior together, then likely move on to yanking motor and tranny and getting engine bay in order, then do external paint job last. Feels like moving along again!

[duallyjams]

That cab is going to be quite.

[cortcomp]

I'm thinking it should be one of the quietest around! I just traded my astro van for an 07 1500 crew cab, damn is THAT quiet! After riding around in it all weekend, i don't know what could beat that! Maybe this will be as close as you can get in a classic truck! Should keep the heat or A/C too, keep the sun from letting it get nice and cool.

[McMurphy]

Did you ever find a replacement heater resistor-pigtail??
If not, pm me a mailing address and I will send you my spare.

[cortcomp]

I haven't! was about to use plain spade connectors! I don't mind buying one, pm me and let me know. Other than finding a whole heater harness, i haven't found anything!

[cortcomp]

Put the heater controls in today, defroster tubes, dash, connected up the parking break indicator, new brights harness and switch, and other minor dash stuff.

Strangely, the blower motor works now, in the right speeds, etc, but nothing comes out of defroster, ac, or heater vents! all cables operating freely, connected at the right ends, can see the recirc door working, etc. Tried all combinations of heater and ac controls...i think the blower is spinning backwards, if i got my hand in there and felt correctly through recirc door? Strange problem to look at later. Also, it seems blower is always on even on low, when key is on. I traced the connections on the wiring diagram and all is right! confused on that one!

Anyways, all the other electrical i worked on was working correctly, so i stopped after getting frustrated and worked on the radio on the t-37 (turns out new radio was a waste, both back speakers were totally bad, no noise, old radio was fine.)

Was at Detroit autorama this weekend so i had some motivation to proceed, will be nice to at least get all the interior done and back in.

[aspiringthomas]

Originally Posted by cortcomp

Last pic of tank split.

That look pretty cool to have that much gas.
I plan on eliminating my cab tank and building 2 saddle tanks that fit under the cab/bed(short bed). I think I can get close to 20 gallons each.

[CRGRS 66]

interior paint etc, looks great! I like the way the black looks with the grey.
funny that grey is very similar to my interior, Ia m going to go with something close to the original colour on mine, and going with the black instrument bezel.

[cortcomp]

Nice wheel!

That gray is a nice neutral color. In the larger areas, it didn't lay as well, but it was rustoleum. If you use a spray gun it will lay even better. Google kimball midwest and get their ultra pro max paint, i do a lot with it, it has more paint solids in it, i should have done the rest of the interior with it. It lays like glass if you do sand/primer/paint. You can almost shave in the gloss black parking brake handle. It sticks to everything, even greasy rubber, etc.


Aspiring:

I get 20 gallons per side. You could also hide some thin long tanks under the cab, there's room there between the frame and rockers. With a fleetside, there's just so much room under there, i never did understand why guys put air tanks, compressors, etc in the bed when you can hide it all under there.

[Ta2Don]

Been awhile since I've checked in... Looking good, I especially like the BBW conversion, very nice work.

[cortcomp]

Thank you! Honestly, it was all thanks to that spot welder!